Fiber drafting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A textile fibre drafting arrangement in which a lower cradle carries a rear platform part and a forward platform part. The forward platform part is an extension of the rear platform part. The forward end of an upper cradle engages the forward platform part, in assembled position. The forward platform part is a lower tensor, interchangeably locatable in the lower cradle to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening, so that different lengths of fibres can be spun with the same platform tensor. The upper cradle is of a width such that, save for hook parts that engage under lateral flaps of the lower cradle, side walls of the upper cradle are disposed on either side of the lower cradle.

United States Patent Noguera June 24, 1975 FIBER DRAFTING APPARATUS 2,899,7l4 8/1959 Noguera 19/255 [76] Inventor: John Michael Noguera, l Greville I House, Kinnerton St., London SW. Emmmer Dorsey Newton 1, England Attorney, Agent, or FirmWaters, Schwartz & Nissen [22] Filed: Nov. 9, l973 Appl. No.: 414,430

Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT A textile fibre drafting arrangement in which a lower cradle carries a rear platform part and a forward platform part. The forward platform part is an extension of the rear platform part. The forward end of an upper cradle engages the forward platform part, in assem bled position. The forward platform part is a lower tensor, interchangeably locatable in the lower cradle to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening, so that different lengths of fibres can be spun with the same platform tensor. The upper cradle is of a width such that, save for hook parts that engage under lateral flaps of the lower cradle, side walls of the upper cradle are disposed on ei ther side of the lower cradle.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUN 24 I975 SHEET 1 FIBER DRAFTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 273,610 filed July 20. 1972, now abandoned.

This invention relates to textile fibre drafting apparatus of the well-known Casablancas type, employing two superposed endless bands which are guided over rear driving rollers and separate front tensors, and between separate upper and lower cradles, which carry the respective tensors, so that adjoining runs of the bands cooperate to guide and control fibres passing therebetween from a firm nipping point between the driving rollers, to a delivery opening between the tensors.

The Specification of my earlier US. Pat. No. 2,899,714 relates to apparatus of the type just specified, wherein the forward end of the upper cradle and a broad platform-like lower tensor, which is interchangeably locatable in the lower cradle. are adapted to inter-engage in the assembled position to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening.

Apparatus as just discussed having a platform and cradle assembly constructed to particular dimensions is suitable for spinning fibres of a particular length, and where it is desired to spin fibres longer than this length it has been the practice to replace the platform and cradle assembly with one constructed to suitable, longer, dimensions. In point of fact, for each desired length of fibre, a range of five or six lower tensors, each providing a different tensor spacing, has to be available.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a textile fibre drafting apparatus, suitable for spinning fibres of a particular length. that utilises a platform-like lower tensor that can also be utilised in a similar apparatus. suitable for spinning fibres that are shorter than said particular length fibres.

Accordingly, the invention provides a textile fibre drafting apparatus comprising a lower cradle; a rear platform part carried by said lower cradle; a forward platform part carried by said lower cradle and being an extension of said rear platform part; and an upper cradle with forward end engaged with said forward platform part in assembled position, said forward platform part being a lower tensor that is interchangeably locatable in said lower cradle to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening. whereby different lengths of fibre can be spun with the same platform tensor; and wherein said upper cradle is of a width such that side walls thereof are disposed on either side of said lower cradle, in the assembled position, save only that for purposes of interengagement, these side walls terminate at their forward ends in hook parts that engage under forward lateral flaps extending from said forward platform part of said lower cradle and constituting the only parts of said forward platform part that project laterally beyond the side walls of said upper cradle.

It will be appreciated that, when constructed to particular dimensions, the apparatus just defined is suitable for spinning fibres of a particular length, and that the lower tensor of the apparatus can be one that can also be fitted to a similar apparatus not provided with a rear platform part and accordingly suitable for spirining fibres that are shorter than this particular length.

Moreover, in the apparatus as just defined, when the upper cradle is lowered, it simply has to come down behind the forward lateral flaps of the forward platform part of the lower cradle, and does not have to find its way between spaced apart projections of the lower cradle. This is in contradistinction to what occurs with apparatus, if constructed in accordance with the teachings of my U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,714 and provided with a lower cradle that is very long. If in such apparatus the lower cradle is very long, it becomes difficult to get the forward end part of the upper cradle to latch-up automatically with the forward platform part of the lower cradle. This is because hook parts (see my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,7l4) at the forward end of the upper cradle have to find their way between rear lateral lugs and forward lateral flaps (see earlier U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,714) of the forward platform part of the lower cradle. When the cradles are short, the top cradle falls down almost vertically between the rear lateral lugs and the forward lateral flaps, but with long cradles the top cradle has to come down in an almost horizontal attitude and entry between the rear lugs and forward flaps is difficult.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a side view, partly in section, of a top arm of a textile fibre drafting apparatus showing a two-belt or band mechanism carried thereby;

FIG. Ia is an elevational view and shows the shape of the lower cradle;

FIG. lb is a plan view and shows the shape and configuration of the forward platform part;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, partly in section, taken on the line IlII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view and shows the forward platform with extending lateral flaps and hook parts, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view and shows the forward platform with associated flaps; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the combination of FIG. 5, in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The top arm 1 shown in FIGS. I and 2 carries three consecutive roller lines, the rear roller line being composed of upper and lower holding rollers 2 and 3, the intermediate roller line being composed of upper and lower band driving rollers 4 and 5, whilst the front roller line is composed of upper and lower drawing rollers 6 and 7. Carried by the respective band driving rollers 4 and 5, and a platform and cradle assembly 8 associated therewith, are two co-operating superposed endless bands 9 and 10 having adjoining runs between which textile fibres are guided and controlled, during their passage from the holding rollers 2 and 3 to the drawing rollers 6 and 7.

As so far described, the apparatus is similar to that described in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,714, and accordingly its construction and manner of operation will not be described in detail herein.

The present platform and cradle assembly 8 differs from that of US, Pat. No. 2,899.714 in that the lower cradle 15 carries a platform formed in two parts, that is a rear platform part I6A, FIGS. la, lb. and a forward platform part [68, FIGS. and 6, that serves as an extension of the rear platform part 16A. This forward part MB is a lower tensor, constructed (save as hereinafter described) as described in US, Pat, No. 2.899,! l4, that is interchangeably located in the lower cradle 15, and that is engaged, in the assembled position (full line condition of the arm 1 illustrated in FIG. 1) with the forward end part of the upper cradle 17. The lower tensor is of sufficiently similar construction as that of U5. Pat, No. 2,899,7l4. as to be utilisable both in apparatus as described in that Patent. and in the present apparatus which is suitable, it will be appreciated. for spinning fibres of greater length than the apparatus of US. Pat. No. 2,899,714. It can. of course, also be used in apparatus having a rear platform part generally similar to the part 16A described above. but of different length. so that a different overall platform length is obtained.

in the present assembly 8 the upper cradle 17, FIGS. 1. 3 and 4, is of a width such that side walls 18 thereof are disposed on either side ofthe lower cradle in the assembled position, save only that, for purposes of inter-engagement, hook parts 19 terminating the front edges of the side walls 18 (described in my US. Pat. No. 1899.714! engage under forward lateral flaps 20 extending from the forward platform part 168, these flaps 20 corresponding to the similar flaps described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,899] l 4, but extending to a greater lateral distance than those flaps, whereby the present flaps 20 constitute the only parts of the forward platform part l6B that project laterally beyond the side walls 18.

As mentioned above. with the present construction, when the upper cradle is lowered (from the chain-dot line condition of the arm 1 illustrated in FIG. 1) it does not have to find its way between spaced apart projections of the lower cradle. It simply has to come down behind the forward lateral flaps 20.

Preferably the rear platform part 16A is integral with the lower cradle 15.

What is claimed is:

l. A textile fibre drafting cradle arrangement comprising a lower cradle; a rear platform part carried by said lower cradle; a forward platform part carried by said lower cradle and being an extension of said rear platform part; forward lateral flaps extending from said forward platform part of said lower cradle; and an upper cradle with forward end engaged with said forward platform part in assembled position, said forward platform part being a lower tensor inter-changeably locatable in said lower cradle to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening whereby different lengths of fibre can be spun with the same platform tensor, said upper cradle having a width such that side walls thereof are disposed on either side of said lower cradle in the assembled position, said side walls terminating at their forward ends in hook parts that engage under said forward lateral flaps extending from said forward platform part of said lower cradle, said hook parts comprising the only parts of said forward platform part that project laterally beyond the side walls of said upper cradle.

2. A textile fibre drafting cradle arrangement according to claim I, wherein said rear platform part is integral with said lower cradle. 

1. A textile fibre drafting cradle arrangement comprising a lower cradle; a rear platform part carried by said lower cradle; a forward platform part carried by said lower cradle and being an extension of said rear platform part; forward lateral flaps extending from said forward platform part of said lower cradle; and an upper cradle with forward end engaged with said forward platform part in assembled position, said forward platform part being a lower tensor inter-changeably locatable in said lower cradle to determine the permitted maximum tensor spacing at the delivery opening whereby different lengths of fibre can be spun with the same platform tensor, said upper cradle having a width such that side walls thereof are disposed on either side of said lower cradle in the assembled position, said side walls terminating at their forward ends in hook parts that engage under said forward lateral flaps extending from said forward platform part of said lower cradle, said hook parts comprising the only parts of said forward platform part that project laterally beyond the side walls of said upper cradle.
 2. A textile fibre drafting cradle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said rear platform part is integral with said lower cradle. 